I fled drab UK for a £28k villa in the Turkish sun – now I'm homeless at 67 after dream turned into a disaster
The glamorous gran had fled chilly Wiltshire for the sunkissed shores of Kusadasi in Turkey, hoping for a better life to see out her retirement.
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Wendy Fallon, 67, bought a bolthole in Kusadasi, Turkey, in 2009
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The mum-of-three fell in love with the place almost two decades ago after visiting a friend who lived there
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Wendy, a keen cyclist, loved exploring Kusadasi by bike
But five years later her dream has become a nightmare - and she's been forced back to Britain, where she finds herself homeless and penniless.
And Wendy, 67, warns there's a hidden
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She says: 'I never imagined I'd be this skint in my sixties.
'Instead of sunbathing on the beach, I'm sofa surfing and relying on food banks.
"I am the living breathing warning every retiree or pensioner should read about before choosing to leave Britain for sunshine and sangria.'
Former interior decorator Wendy fell in love with Kusadasi almost two decades ago after visiting a friend who lived there.
The coastal resort on the Aegean Sea, south of Izmir, is famed for its sandy beaches and Roman ruins.
Advertisement
Wendy says: 'I took one look at the white sand beaches, met the locals, tasted the food and knew it was my dream retirement location.'
The town had such an impact on Wendy
- who is mum to two sons aged 50 and 46, and a daughter who tragically passed away at the age of 40 - that she snapped up a botlhole there in 2009.
She says: 'I bought a two-bedroom villa for £28,000, two hundred metres from the beach, with a shared pool. I nabbed a bargain before the town became popular with tourists.'
Moment driver sends OAP flying after smashing into her while distracted by satnav
20
Wendy's Turkish delight turned into a nightmare when she suffered a nightmare accident
20
Wendy is now back living in the UK and sofa-surfing at friends' houses
Credit: Steve Bell
Advertisement
20
In 2019, Wendy was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while cycling on a road near her Turkish home
20
Wendy severed an artery in her leg
At first Wendy - a grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of six - used her new pad for holidays, then when she retired in 2014 aged 56 she moved there, planning to see out the rest of her days in the sun.
But the keen cyclist's hopes for a peaceful old age came crashing down in 2019, when she was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while cycling on a road near her Turkish home.
And as her medical bills spiralled, she discovered she didn't have the correct health insurance to cover them - and was hit with a bill of more than £150,000.
Advertisement
Wendy recalls: 'My right leg was shattered. An artery in the leg was severed and there were five serious breaks.
'When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors thought I was dead.'
'I couldn't make a claim'
Wendy had to undergo multiple surgeries to save her leg and was unable to walk or leave hospital for 12 months.
But there was worse news to come. She says: 'As the driver had been drunk and was not insured, I had no way of making a claim against him.
'I was offered £18 for the accident. My medical bills would be over £150,000.'
Advertisement
When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors thought I was dead
Wendy Williams
Turkey isn't part of the EU or EEA; this means that Turkey and the UK do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements.
Instead, people retiring there are encouraged to take out private health insurance or pay into Turkey's State Scheme known as the SGK.
'I couldn't afford to pay the full fee which is 24 per cent of the national gross minimum wage," Wendy says.
20
The grandmother-of-six experienced five serious breaks
Advertisement
20
Wendy was unable to walk for 12 months
20
Wendy started rehab to regain her strength
20
A fall in rehab caused her to break her arm
'Private health insurance would have cost me up to £150 a month, and that wasn't in my budget.'
Wendy was finally able to leave hospital in September 2020 - but by then was unable to travel back to the UK because of the Covid pandemic.
Advertisement
She was forced to remain in Turkey and fork out yet more cash for rehab, costing £15,000, as she learned to walk again.
A fall during a rehab led her to break her arm, which cost another £10,000 in expensive surgery to insert a metal plate, followed by £10,000 in occupational therapy.
She says: 'I was alone and scared. All I could think about was getting back to England and finding work.'
I was alone and scared. All I could think about was getting back to England and finding work
Wendy Williams
When Wendy planned her Turkish retirement she thought she would never have to worry about money again.
The cost of living in Kusadasi is half that of Britain - making it a popular retirement spot for OAPs from across Europe.
Advertisement
But while there are approximately 34,000 Brits living in Turkey, only about 1,000 of those are thought to be retirees.
Experts say Turkey's decision to not offer a dedicated retirement visa, the cost of private healthcare, and the fact the country is not an EU member means it is not as popular as countries like France or Spain.
Wendy says: 'I bought my Kusadasi cottage before these issues became a problem.
'I was working part-time organising holidays and special events abroad for British tourists and was careful with my savings.
'I was fit, healthy and active - I'd done my budgets and knew I could afford to live.'
Advertisement
Forced to sell home
20
Wendy didn't previously have any medical issues
Credit: Steve Bell
20
Wendy had hoped to one day upgrade her Turkish home
Having never had any medical issues, Wendy didn't factor in comprehensive health insurance.
It was a decision she came to regret when staff at the
She says: 'I was horrified. I'd been made to sign a document saying I'd cover the cost of my treatment when I was bleeding in the ER.
Advertisement
'It was either that or die in the hospital. I barely remember that day, but it was my only option."
Before Wendy moved to Turkey she rented out her three-bedroom home in Moredon in the hope of one day selling it and upgrading her Turkish home.
Now she was forced to sell it to cover her costs.
I was horrified. I'd been made to sign a document saying I'd cover the cost of my treatment when I was bleeding in the ER. It was either that or die in the hospital
Wendy Williams
She says: 'As I lay alone in a foreign hospital, I realised the only way I could pay my medical bills was to sell my home in Turkey for £28,000 and my three-bedroom house in Britain for £200,000.
'It was gut wrenching. I had to do this during Covid. The isolation and depression were awful.'
Advertisement
By the time Wendy covered estate agent fees, taxes, hospital bills and rehab costs she was left with less than £5,000 to her name.
She was finally able to return to Moredon in October 2021, but was still reliant on a walking stick, had minimal use of her right arm and no income.
With her state pension still three years away, she survived on an £81-a-week carers allowance as she nursed her elderly mum who suffers from dementia.
She was offered temporary accommodation in a hostel but was unable to manage the stairs with her injuries.
20
Wendy was forced to sell her dream home
Advertisement
20
Her two-bed villa had a balcony
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She also had a shared pool
Now on a long waiting list for
Wendy says: 'I usually arrive with a bag of groceries from the food bank, and we share a cup of tea, and I get pillows, sheets and a duvet so I can make a bed on their sofa.
'I feel like a burden.'
Advertisement
Wendy - who divorced her first husband in 1985 and lost her second to a heart attack in 1998 - says it is a million miles away from how she imagined she would spend her retirement.
Having run a successful business, she was counting on the equity in her house to support her in her old age, alongside the state pension.
She says: 'When I retired a decade ago, I thought I'd never have to work again or worry about money. Now everything has changed - I can't even afford a trip to the supermarket.
'I am calling the local council daily begging for emergency housing and relying on food banks and charity handouts to get by.'
Sadly Wendy's shock return to Britain is not unique.
Advertisement
Dire warning
About 30 per cent of retired expats come home within three years - often for family or healthcare reasons.
And there are more than 1.4m over 65s still working despite hitting state pension age - just like Wendy, who says she will take any part time work she can get.
She says: 'The only way I can survive is work until I die. There are no holidays, world cruises or long lunches in my future.
When I retired a decade ago, I thought I'd never have to work again or worry about money. Now everything has changed - I can't even afford a trip to the supermarket
Wendy Williams
"The best I can hope for is being able to afford to rent a room in a shared house.'
Wendy hopes her story will act as a warning to other OAPs dreaming of a new life in the sun.
Advertisement
She says: 'I am begging anyone aged 50 or over who moves overseas to factor in the cost of private health cover.
'I didn't think I'd be the victim of a worst-case scenario.
'I just hope my story will help other people realise moving abroad can come at a cost and it takes just seconds for your dream life abroad to be destroyed.'
20
The glam gran never thought she'd be in this situation
20
There are no holidays, world cruises or long lunches in Wendy's future
Credit: Steve Bell
Advertisement
20
Wendy fears she will have to work until she dies
Credit: Steve Bell
20
The coastal resort, on the Aegean Sea south of Izmir, is famed for its sandy beaches and Roman ruins
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SIPPING a glass of cold white wine and looking out over the sparkling sea just moments from her new home, Wendy Williams thought all her dreams had come true. The glamorous gran had fled chilly Wiltshire for the sunkissed shores of Kusadasi in Turkey, hoping for a better life to see out her retirement. Advertisement 20 Wendy Fallon, 67, bought a bolthole in Kusadasi, Turkey, in 2009 20 The mum-of-three fell in love with the place almost two decades ago after visiting a friend who lived there 20 Wendy, a keen cyclist, loved exploring Kusadasi by bike But five years later her dream has become a nightmare - and she's been forced back to Britain, where she finds herself homeless and penniless. And Wendy, 67, warns there's a hidden Advertisement She says: 'I never imagined I'd be this skint in my sixties. 'Instead of sunbathing on the beach, I'm sofa surfing and relying on food banks. "I am the living breathing warning every retiree or pensioner should read about before choosing to leave Britain for sunshine and sangria.' Former interior decorator Wendy fell in love with Kusadasi almost two decades ago after visiting a friend who lived there. The coastal resort on the Aegean Sea, south of Izmir, is famed for its sandy beaches and Roman ruins. Advertisement Wendy says: 'I took one look at the white sand beaches, met the locals, tasted the food and knew it was my dream retirement location.' The town had such an impact on Wendy - who is mum to two sons aged 50 and 46, and a daughter who tragically passed away at the age of 40 - that she snapped up a botlhole there in 2009. She says: 'I bought a two-bedroom villa for £28,000, two hundred metres from the beach, with a shared pool. I nabbed a bargain before the town became popular with tourists.' Moment driver sends OAP flying after smashing into her while distracted by satnav 20 Wendy's Turkish delight turned into a nightmare when she suffered a nightmare accident 20 Wendy is now back living in the UK and sofa-surfing at friends' houses Credit: Steve Bell Advertisement 20 In 2019, Wendy was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while cycling on a road near her Turkish home 20 Wendy severed an artery in her leg At first Wendy - a grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of six - used her new pad for holidays, then when she retired in 2014 aged 56 she moved there, planning to see out the rest of her days in the sun. But the keen cyclist's hopes for a peaceful old age came crashing down in 2019, when she was hit by an uninsured drunk driver while cycling on a road near her Turkish home. And as her medical bills spiralled, she discovered she didn't have the correct health insurance to cover them - and was hit with a bill of more than £150,000. Advertisement Wendy recalls: 'My right leg was shattered. An artery in the leg was severed and there were five serious breaks. 'When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors thought I was dead.' 'I couldn't make a claim' Wendy had to undergo multiple surgeries to save her leg and was unable to walk or leave hospital for 12 months. But there was worse news to come. She says: 'As the driver had been drunk and was not insured, I had no way of making a claim against him. 'I was offered £18 for the accident. My medical bills would be over £150,000.' Advertisement When I arrived at the hospital, the doctors thought I was dead Wendy Williams Turkey isn't part of the EU or EEA; this means that Turkey and the UK do not have reciprocal healthcare agreements. Instead, people retiring there are encouraged to take out private health insurance or pay into Turkey's State Scheme known as the SGK. 'I couldn't afford to pay the full fee which is 24 per cent of the national gross minimum wage," Wendy says. 20 The grandmother-of-six experienced five serious breaks Advertisement 20 Wendy was unable to walk for 12 months 20 Wendy started rehab to regain her strength 20 A fall in rehab caused her to break her arm 'Private health insurance would have cost me up to £150 a month, and that wasn't in my budget.' Wendy was finally able to leave hospital in September 2020 - but by then was unable to travel back to the UK because of the Covid pandemic. Advertisement She was forced to remain in Turkey and fork out yet more cash for rehab, costing £15,000, as she learned to walk again. A fall during a rehab led her to break her arm, which cost another £10,000 in expensive surgery to insert a metal plate, followed by £10,000 in occupational therapy. She says: 'I was alone and scared. All I could think about was getting back to England and finding work.' I was alone and scared. All I could think about was getting back to England and finding work Wendy Williams When Wendy planned her Turkish retirement she thought she would never have to worry about money again. The cost of living in Kusadasi is half that of Britain - making it a popular retirement spot for OAPs from across Europe. Advertisement But while there are approximately 34,000 Brits living in Turkey, only about 1,000 of those are thought to be retirees. Experts say Turkey's decision to not offer a dedicated retirement visa, the cost of private healthcare, and the fact the country is not an EU member means it is not as popular as countries like France or Spain. Wendy says: 'I bought my Kusadasi cottage before these issues became a problem. 'I was working part-time organising holidays and special events abroad for British tourists and was careful with my savings. 'I was fit, healthy and active - I'd done my budgets and knew I could afford to live.' Advertisement Forced to sell home 20 Wendy didn't previously have any medical issues Credit: Steve Bell 20 Wendy had hoped to one day upgrade her Turkish home Having never had any medical issues, Wendy didn't factor in comprehensive health insurance. It was a decision she came to regret when staff at the She says: 'I was horrified. I'd been made to sign a document saying I'd cover the cost of my treatment when I was bleeding in the ER. Advertisement 'It was either that or die in the hospital. I barely remember that day, but it was my only option." Before Wendy moved to Turkey she rented out her three-bedroom home in Moredon in the hope of one day selling it and upgrading her Turkish home. Now she was forced to sell it to cover her costs. I was horrified. I'd been made to sign a document saying I'd cover the cost of my treatment when I was bleeding in the ER. It was either that or die in the hospital Wendy Williams She says: 'As I lay alone in a foreign hospital, I realised the only way I could pay my medical bills was to sell my home in Turkey for £28,000 and my three-bedroom house in Britain for £200,000. 'It was gut wrenching. I had to do this during Covid. The isolation and depression were awful.' Advertisement By the time Wendy covered estate agent fees, taxes, hospital bills and rehab costs she was left with less than £5,000 to her name. She was finally able to return to Moredon in October 2021, but was still reliant on a walking stick, had minimal use of her right arm and no income. With her state pension still three years away, she survived on an £81-a-week carers allowance as she nursed her elderly mum who suffers from dementia. She was offered temporary accommodation in a hostel but was unable to manage the stairs with her injuries. 20 Wendy was forced to sell her dream home Advertisement 20 Her two-bed villa had a balcony 20 She also had a shared pool Now on a long waiting list for Wendy says: 'I usually arrive with a bag of groceries from the food bank, and we share a cup of tea, and I get pillows, sheets and a duvet so I can make a bed on their sofa. 'I feel like a burden.' Advertisement Wendy - who divorced her first husband in 1985 and lost her second to a heart attack in 1998 - says it is a million miles away from how she imagined she would spend her retirement. Having run a successful business, she was counting on the equity in her house to support her in her old age, alongside the state pension. She says: 'When I retired a decade ago, I thought I'd never have to work again or worry about money. Now everything has changed - I can't even afford a trip to the supermarket. 'I am calling the local council daily begging for emergency housing and relying on food banks and charity handouts to get by.' Sadly Wendy's shock return to Britain is not unique. Advertisement Dire warning About 30 per cent of retired expats come home within three years - often for family or healthcare reasons. And there are more than 1.4m over 65s still working despite hitting state pension age - just like Wendy, who says she will take any part time work she can get. She says: 'The only way I can survive is work until I die. There are no holidays, world cruises or long lunches in my future. When I retired a decade ago, I thought I'd never have to work again or worry about money. Now everything has changed - I can't even afford a trip to the supermarket Wendy Williams "The best I can hope for is being able to afford to rent a room in a shared house.' Wendy hopes her story will act as a warning to other OAPs dreaming of a new life in the sun. Advertisement She says: 'I am begging anyone aged 50 or over who moves overseas to factor in the cost of private health cover. 'I didn't think I'd be the victim of a worst-case scenario. 'I just hope my story will help other people realise moving abroad can come at a cost and it takes just seconds for your dream life abroad to be destroyed.' 20 The glam gran never thought she'd be in this situation 20 There are no holidays, world cruises or long lunches in Wendy's future Credit: Steve Bell Advertisement 20 Wendy fears she will have to work until she dies Credit: Steve Bell 20 The coastal resort, on the Aegean Sea south of Izmir, is famed for its sandy beaches and Roman ruins
